Maria and Antonio Patino tell their children, J’Anthony and Camila, “I love you” every chance they get.
After all, “everybody needs to feel love and hear it,” says Maria.
Several years ago, cancer treatments left Maria unable to have biological children—which was “really heartbreaking,” she recalls. She had always considered herself a natural caregiver.
After some reflection, Maria and her husband realized fostering could be the right path for them, as “a lot of children out there need a mom and dad.” They looked into becoming foster parents with Upbring Foster In Texas (FIT), hoping one day to adopt the children in their care.
The Patinos fostered seven children over the next couple of years, culminating with the August 2024 adoption of two young siblings.
J’Anthony, age 4, loves watching “Paw Patrol” and “Godzilla.” He can name all the equipment his dad handles as a heavy machine operator and might shout “excavator!” when he spots one. Two-year-old Camila enjoys singing, dancing and playing with her Barbie dolls. In quieter moments, you’ll find her immersed in a coloring book or practicing her numbers and ABCs.
The journey from fostering to adoption wasn’t always easy, Maria admits. Camila was only an infant when she entered foster care, so she doesn’t remember any other home. But J’Anthony had a lot of anger about his family circumstances; he was nonverbal and often acted out against Maria. With time and patience, plus the support of his therapist and Head Start preschool teachers, the boy has learned how to better cope with those big feelings.
The Patinos also had the support of Upbring FIT in their hometown of Victoria. They especially enjoyed all the activities and get-togethers Upbring held for other families fostering children in Texas.
“Everyone at Upbring was amazing. They always had an answer for every single question,” Maria says. “I really felt cared for and like family.”
Maria and Antonio still think about the children who came before J’Anthony and Camila. A wall in their home displays an 8×10 photo of every child they fostered who eventually reunited with their birth families. “They’ll always be in our hearts because they were our children for a time being,” Maria explains, adding that they might consider fostering more children in the future.
For now, the Patinos are focused on building a life as a family of four—and enjoying every minute. They are proud to raise J’Anthony and Camila as bilingual in Spanish and English. And their first Christmas season as a forever family was a joyous one. Together they chose the perfect tree and took their first big vacation to Colorado, complete with train rides, sightseeing, and making snow angels—something they can’t experience in Texas.
“I’m so excited to show my kids there’s more out there than just our little town,” says Maria, now a stay-at-home mom.
At first, J’Anthony seemed puzzled to hear his parents say “I love you”—but these days he and Camila both eagerly say it back.
Maria beams: “When they’re so little and they tell you ‘I love you’ … that gets my heart, every single time.”
Upbring Foster In Texas works diligently to advance child wellbeing and provide nurturing homes for children like J’Anthony and Camila. Learn more about foster-to-adoption in Texas here.